Piaget specializes in an area of watchmaking that is easy to understand aesthetically, but a little more difficult to grasp in terms of the very real technical challenges it poses. Ultra-thin watchmaking is something relatively few companies really excel in, and for several very good reasons. On the 60th anniversary of Piaget's revolutionary caliber 9P, the company's taking a look back at its history in making some of the thinnest calibers ever made, through the introduction of two limited edition Altiplanos ahead of the 2017 SIHH.

In news first reported by the New York Times, Richemont chairman Johann Rupert has announced a new foundation in direct support of traditional master craft. Called the Michelangelo Foundation, the Geneva-based non-profit will serve as a digital platform for young, independent, and upcoming artisans on which the South African billionaire hopes they will be discovered and supported. In the revealing and candid interview in the New York Times, Rupert makes it clear that he is fed up of the status quo in luxury and that this foundation will help change that.

In the current bleak climate of the watch world, with almost every news story full of doom and gloom, there glows a bright spot – that of the so-called "micro" or "boutique" brands that have come of age in the past decade. These small, often one-person companies have taken advantage of the increasingly egalitarian playing field of internet watch forums, crowdfunding, and contract manufacturing that has emerged to challenge huge marketing budgets and giant workshops full of watchmakers. Of course, among these, quality is hit or miss, many designs are downright derivative, and a lot of these small marques have folded as quickly as they appeared. But to the die-hard watch enthusiast crowd, some have offered fresh alternatives to the big brands and affordable watches that, when done well, remind us that sometimes strapping on a watch can be just plain fun instead of a statement or an investment. Unimatic and its Modello Uno (U1-B) are a perfect example.

Times are tough out there – and not only are we seeing major brands take a hit, but also some of the little guys. Today, a fan favorite here at HODINKEE – Vulcain – announced that it would be laying off seven of its 12 remaining managerial positions. The company declined to say whether or not it would be for sale, though it seems likely it would be considering how thin staffing has become.

After a two-week hiatus Bring A Loupe is back, with a killer selection of vintage watches. The Rolex GMT-Master reference 6542 is logically the star of the week, as it comes in great condition and retains its original bakelite bezel. On the dressy side, the Patek Philippe "Disco Volante" reference 2552 scores high as well, hiding a sumptuous automatic movement. You can also discover the Mimo Loga, a forgotten slide-rule watch that competed with the Breitling Chronomat and the Juvenia Arithmo in the 1940s. Lastly, two great chronographs from less obvious brands step in – a mint Minerva (with a gorgeous in-house Minerva chronograph caliber) and a beauty of a Nivada Chronoking Aviator Diver, at a no-brainer price. This is your Bring A Loupe for December 9, 2016.

When we talk about space exploration and watches, the conversation quickly leads to the Apollo Program and the Omega Speedmaster. However, we do know of watches and indeed men that made it to space earlier. One such man, Mr. John Glenn, passed away today at the age of 95 after a lifetime of achievements, including becoming the first American to orbit the earth. What many may not know is that he did so with a watch strapped to his wrist – but that doesn't mean it was a wristwatch. No, John Glenn orbited the earth accompanied by a Heuer stopwatch.

Following quickly on the acquisition of its software by Fitbit (as reported by Bloomberg), Pebble has now announced it has ceased operations. The acquisition was of Pebble's software only; the company's remaining assets will be sold to cover its debt. Here’s what it means for current users (and yes, it’s bad).

The pre-SIHH 2017 releases are really starting to roll in now, and Montblanc has quite a few cool new additions to its collection. Two of these are the 1858 Automatic and 1858 Automatic Dual Time, a pair of two-tone watches that combine brushed stainless steel and matte bronze for a softer look. They take inspiration from military watches found in Montblanc's Minerva archive and are fun takes on a well-known style. Let's take a closer look at each.

Very rarely will you be able to meet six members of HODINKEE outside of New York. It usually happens only twice a year, during SIHH and Baselworld. But last week, and because HODINKEE was hosting a pop-up at Harrods, an exceptionally large number of us were in London. To celebrate this very rare occasion, we sent out an invitation for drinks with the team. Naturally, we documented the whole thing, so in case we missed you, here are just some of the watches we saw.

The Seiko Presage line represents the next step up in Seiko's mechanical watch portfolio from its entry level mechanical watches, with slightly more elaborate designs, as well as the presentation of somewhat more complex movements; it's here you'll find automatic chronographs like the urushi-lacquer-dialed SRQ021J1, as well as self-winding watches with power reserve indications. Seiko has just announced that in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the introduction of its first automatic movement, in 1956, in the Seiko Marvel line, it will be launching a 60th Anniversary Presage watch with date and power reserve. The case shape, dial color, and design of the hands and indexes all follow on from the original of 1956.